City council asks AIT for help in US nationality probe

By Flora Wang / STAFF REPORTER

Kaohsiung City Council has sent the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) an official request to probe the US nationality status of a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) city councilor, council speaker Chuang Chi-wang (莊啟旺) said yesterday.

Chuang said in a press release yesterday that the inquiry concerned KMT Councilor Huang Shao-ting (黃紹庭), who caused an uproar for allegedly using a US passport to leave and return to Taiwan on a trip to the US in 2007.

Huang, secretary-general of the KMT caucus at the council, was elected at the end of 2006.

STATEMENTS

Huang has issued two statements since the controversy broke on Wednesday, arguing that he had given up his US nationality in accordance with the law. He urged the council to seek help from AIT to probe the US citizenship status of the 44 councilors of Kaohsiung council.

The Nationality Act (國籍法) prohibits any government officials from holding dual citizenship and obliges those who possess foreign nationality renounce it before they are sworn in.

The act also requires that they present official documentation as proof within one year of assuming office.

INVESTIGATION

Kaohsiung prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to the allegation against Huang.

If the allegation is proved to be true, Huang could lose his seat.

Meanwhile, KMT Kaohsiung City Chapter director Hsu Fu-ming (許福明) said late on Thursday night that the chapter had decided to suspend Huang’s status as secretary-general of the KMT caucus at the council and given him 15 days to prove he had renounced his US citizenship.